


Lion Heart

by hayjolras



Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-23
Updated: 2013-05-23
Packaged: 2017-12-12 17:24:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/814087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hayjolras/pseuds/hayjolras
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Grantaire, where on earth did you get this absurd idea from?”</p><p>“Enjolras, c’mon, these kinds of things are supposed to be fun.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lion Heart

“Grantaire, where on earth did you get this absurd idea from?”

“Enjolras, c’mon, these kinds of things are supposed to be  _fun_.”

“It’s a _zoo_ , Grantaire,” Enjolras said, crossing his arms dissaprovingly and rolling his eyes at the brunette standing beside him, as if to say, _how much fun is there in_ that _?_

Grantiare, however, took no note of Enjolras’s clear disapproval. “How long did it take you to realize that?” he asked, smirking and wrapping a dark arm around his boyfriend’s waist. “Was it before or after we passed the huge sign that said, ‘Zoo’?”

Enjolras shook his head. Grantaire had tricked him, obviously — Enjolras would never willingly be here, of all places. It was finals week, and Enjolras had been studying much too much — so much so that he fell asleep at his desk as opposed to the bed he and Grantaire shared.

Concerned, Grantaire, told Enjolras that he had a surprise for him — that they were going to do something fun to get their minds off of studying for finals. The next morning they set out, Enjolras letting Grantaire take the lead, following blindly in his footsteps.

But, you know, Grantaire promised fun. Not this.

“Grantaire,” Enjolras said in a warning voice, though he allowed the former to lead him to the first exhibit, “you know how I feel about zoos. They’re —”

“A source of animal cruelty. Something else, too, I think, but I can’t rememb — relax, Enjolras,” Grantaire said, giving Enjolras a gentle shake. “I looked this place up. They help rehabilitate animals and all the money they make goes back into wild life conservation. They’re not just locked up in cages for our enjoyment.”

They waked along, careful to avoid bunking into anyone (families, small children, baby carriages, escaped zoo animals). Grantaire made an obvious effort to not let his arm slide from Enjolras’s small waist. He finally relented a little bit and snuggled into Grantaire, and their bodies fit together perfectly, two puzzle pieces (who, of course, no one ever suspected would actually be able to fit together). It was blazing hot out, and Enjolras would probably get sunburned within the next ten minutes, but he let that out of his mind as they walked together.

Grantaire’s wheels were turning in his head, underneath his curls as his face scrunched his face in concentration. They walked up paths and down them, over a little wooden bridge, where a family of ducks was swimming in the water below.

Finally, Grantaire got them where they were going to. His eyes lit up and he grabbed Enjolras’s hand, saying, “C’mon — c’mon!” as he pulled Enjolras along, walking up to the glass and peaking in.

“See?” he said excitedly to Enjolras, and Enjolras looked.

They were lions — big, golden, majestic lions. There were a few lionesses, too, and they were all grazing, simply walking around in that proud way that lions do, climbing on rocks and shaking their heads slowly. A few lion cubs pranced around near the lionesses, playing and running, almost teasing each other.

Even Enjolras couldn’t help but smile at the sight. He looked over at Grantaire, who was watching him, and asked, “Why did you bring me to see lions?”

Grantaire smirked. “They remind me of you — what with that mane of heair you have,” he replied, running his hand through Enjolras’s long, blonde locks.

Enjolras squirmed away. “Erghh — Grantaire!”

“That’s not all,” Grantaire said, looking back to the lions. “Lions are graceful, and brave, and fierce. Smart, too. Clever.”

“So?”

“So,” Grantaire huffed, though not in an annoyed sort of way, more of in a “Enjolras I’m trying to make a goddamned point listen to my brilliance for one goddamn second” kind of way. “I’m saying you remind me of a lion.”

“I remind you of a lion.”

“That’s what I said. I know you’re worried about finals or whatever,” Grantaire went on, squeezing Enjolras’s hand. “I wish you weren’t, but you are, and I know what I say won’t make a difference — but you’re smart. And tough. You’re a lion. Your finals are the jungle, and you’re king. You’re gonna be okay. I know it.”

Enjolras didn’t say anything. Instead, he stared at Grantaire’s helpless-looking espression, feeling his heart warm the longer he looked at him.

“This was the dumbest idea I’ve ever had,” Grantaire mumbled, looked down at his shoes. But he looked up again when Enjolras put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it tightly.

“No, the dumbest idea you’ve ever had was the time you and Éponine got drunk on that boat the one time and decided to re-enact Titanic —”

“That was Éponine’s —”

“This,” Enjolras said, his eyes meeting Grantaire’s dark brown ones, “was a fantastic idea.”

To Grantaire’s surprise, Enjolras leaned in and kissed him. It wasn’t passionate or hot or anything like that — it was just a slow, normal kiss. Enjolras hated PDA that went any farther than hand-holding, though, so Grantiare smiled when Enjolras broke apart, their foreheads touching lightly.

“Thank you,” Enjolras said, grinning and turning back to watch the lions, who were either eating, playing, or napping on the rocks, basking in the sun. “I love you, Grantaire.”

Grantaire’s hand slipped into Enjolras’s, and the boys shared a quick glance as their fingers intertwined tightly.

“I love you too, Enjolras.”


End file.
